Scholarships Abroad

PNG cops arrested over alcohol

THREE policemen from Tari, Hela, have been arrested and charged after they were allegedly involved in the smuggling of alcohol into the province using police vehicles and guns.

Provincial police commander Supt Kaiglo Ambane said one officer was arrested last Wednesday and 150 cartons of beer confiscated.

Another two were caught last month for being involved in the smuggling of 16 cartons of beer. They had a police-issue rifle in their vehicle. The three were arrested at checkpoints in Margarima district.

Ambane said while the three were awaiting their court hearings, normal internal police investigations were being conducted to determine whether they should face disciplinary action.

“Policemen use police resources to help smugglers transport large quantities of alcohol into Southern Highlands and Hela for some side money,” he said.

“It will now stop.”

Ambane said their actions tarnished the good name of hard working officers in the two provinces.

He said police were seriously enforcing the alcohol ban in Southern Highlands and would monitor vehicles coming into the province.

He said apart from the two checkpoints at Kagul River and the Kaupena police highway patrol post, police officers would check vehicles arriving on the Tambul-Mendi, Kandep-Mendi and Kandep-Margarima roads.

Ambane warned police officers they could lose their jobs if caught transporting alcohol or escorting smugglers into the province.

“I want to appeal to policemen in my province as well as Hela who have being planning or helping other people to smuggle alcohol into the two provinces in the past to stop it now,” he said.